Who are your clients?

• A. A person becomes your client when you establish a relationship beyond that available to someone who is merely an interested person
• B. Anyone who contacts your agency
• C. Only individuals who sign a contract
• D. Only foster parents

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that client status comes from the actual professional relationship and service involvement, not just contact or intent. A person becomes a client when the agency moves beyond casual interest into an active, ongoing relationship where services are provided or planned, with duties like confidentiality, records, and accountability. Simply reaching out or asking for information doesn’t make someone a client; likewise, signing a contract isn’t the defining trigger, and limiting clients to foster parents excludes other individuals who may receive services (such as the child, birth family, or other guardians). So the best answer captures the moment a meaningful, service-driven relationship is established.